The next day, early in the morning, just as dawn was breaking.
While Ino was brushing her teeth, she noticed Choji had already gotten up early to exercise.
This was truly a rare sight.
Choji's clothes had the character for "food" on them, not "roll," and this kind of early morning exercise was usually only done by Ino.
Had the fatty taken the wrong medicine today?
Ino watched from a distance while brushing her teeth.
She saw Choji running back and forth, carrying a boulder larger than his own body, his breathing rhythm quite peculiar. Whenever he felt tired, he would use a special breathing rhythm to propel his body to continue running. His entire body's fat would also jiggle twice with the strange breathing technique, and new Chakra would burst forth from the fat, quickly restoring most of his stamina.
Ino only watched for a couple of glances before realizing the power of this breathing technique.
Although she hadn't officially opened her eyes, with relatively vague observation skills combined with her own perception, she could roughly grasp the Chakra flow and intensity in Choji's body.
The Akimichi Clan's Secret Technique originally stored a lot of Yang Release Chakra within the fat, but that was for consumption. Once used, it needed to be accumulated again. Now, Choji, with the help of this strange breathing technique, seemed to be able to extract Chakra from his fat without significantly depleting it.
This was quite miraculous.
Ino spat out her mouthwash and watched intently.
Soon, Shikamaru also joined the onlookers. They exchanged glances, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes; this didn't look like an Akimichi Clan Secret Technique.
Breathing techniques with three long and one short, or three short and one long breaths, were not secrets in the Ninja World. Many clans had researched them, but none had given them much importance.
Leaving aside Six Paths Level and Kage-level Ninja, let's talk about the Genin, who are the most numerous on the battlefield.
Genin combat is really just a few quick moves: unleash all your strength, stab a Kunai into the enemy's heart, and it's over.
In a life-or-death situation, who has time to consider breathing rhythms or cardiopulmonary function? Use all the strength you have! Kill the enemy, and no one cares how you exhale or inhale afterward. Conversely, if the enemy isn't dead and you are, then you don't need to worry about breathing anymore.
Learning how to unleash all your strength in battle, ignoring breathing, ignoring various signals from your body, with only your enemy in your eyes, fighting like a cold machine—this is the training method of mainstream Ninja!
Now, Choji's training method, in Ino and Shikamaru's eyes, was a bit unconventional, like everyone in our Huashan Sect practices swordsmanship, but you insist on practicing internal cultivation.
"Should I talk to him?" Shikamaru asked in a low voice.
His talent and insight in Taijutsu were average; in this regard, Ino, as a Jonin, certainly had more authority.
Ino hesitated, "Choji might not be unaware of these things. The way he's training now, he probably has his own ideas. Let's watch a bit longer."
The two didn't make a fuss, quickly packed their things, and continued to cross the desert.
Camping that night, they still built a house with Wood Release. Afterward, the three ate and rested individually.
Choji secretly left the camp in the middle of the night to continue learning the breathing technique with Shirō, who was following them from a distance.
This was a Taijutsu training method called the "Seven-Day Breathing Method," which Shirō had researched himself.
Choji explained the current mainstream views of the Ninja World to Shirō, which made the self-taught Shirō break out in a cold sweat. It was then that he realized he had gone astray.
However, he couldn't be blamed; no one had guided him, so he could only train according to his own ideas.
His Seven-Day Breathing Method was actually of extremely high caliber and grand in scope.
But even he, the creator, couldn't achieve "seven days," which meant continuously breathing seven times and continuously vibrating the Chakra pathways seven times. He had always thought it was due to insufficient body tempering. After meeting Choji and gaining a large amount of knowledge that is now considered basic in the Ninja World, he realized he had taken a detour.
Choji helped him complete his basic knowledge, and he taught his breathing technique to Choji.
One taught, one learned. When Choji went to train in the distance, Ino appeared like a ghost behind Shirō.
Shirō's expression held some confusion, not knowing how she had appeared. A living person suddenly appearing behind him was quite incredible for someone who had almost tempered his body to the extreme. However, he didn't think much of it; he truly didn't know any Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, so perhaps this was some kind of Ninjutsu effect.
Ino didn't explain; she had left a Flying Thunder God Jutsu formula on Choji's backpack during the day and teleported over at night.
"You are the genius Ninja from Konoha Village that the little fatty spoke of, aren't you? Truly remarkable," Shirō praised sincerely.
They hadn't fought, so it was hard to say who would win or lose in a battle, but some external manifestations could be seen. Shirō privately believed his Taijutsu had few rivals in the world, but Ino's Taijutsu was not much weaker than his. Combined with Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, if they truly fought, Shirō would definitely lose.
Ino looked at him and asked, word by word, "May I ask, what is your purpose in following us?"
"If I say I met you by chance, would you believe me?"
"I don't believe you."
"I truly met you by chance. Whether you believe it or not, that is the truth."
Ino carefully observed the young man in front of her. This person was probably in his early twenties, five or six years older than Ino and her companions, and five or six years younger than Kakashi and Asuma. He stood there like an unsheathed sharp sword, his breathing rhythm quite unique, his breath long and continuous. If one didn't listen carefully, his breathing was almost inaudible.
This was a master who had tempered his body to the core, a fierce individual who was called a Ninja but was actually a berserker.
It was unwise to ponder breathing rhythms during combat, but if this breathing became instinctual, that would be another matter.
Without a certain amount of talent and perseverance, it is difficult for normal people to change their breathing rhythm. They can adjust their breathing rhythm while meditating or running, but in a life-or-death situation, being distracted leads to death, and the cost is too great. Therefore, all major Ninja villages oppose practicing breathing techniques. It's not that this thing is bad, but it's too difficult to practice, resulting in half the effort for twice the result.
"It seems you are not a Hidden Sand Village Ninja? Are you interested in coming to Konoha Village? In Konoha, even if you don't know any Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, you can still become an excellent Ninja. After becoming a Konoha Ninja, a large amount of knowledge will be open to you. Standing on the shoulders of predecessors, utilizing their knowledge and experience, you can gradually perfect your breathing technique. How about it? Interested?"
Ino extended an invitation.
Shirō shook his head, his expression unchanged.
Choji had already said the same thing once before. He had refused last night, and his choice remained a refusal now.
"Thank you for your kindness, but I'm sorry. The Hidden Sand Village indeed doesn't recognize me, but I was born and raised here. The vast yellow sand is my home. Your mountains and rivers, though beautiful, have nothing to do with me."
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